Don’t have anyone to sign passport

[BlueBurys]

I really want to take my children abroad but don’t have anyone to do their passports. Has anyone been in this situation and what did you do? (Don’t need any suggestions of who can sign it I’m aware and have looked through the list but don’t have anyone that can do it) is there anything else that can be done if you’ve been in this situation?

What about on children's father's side ? Are they known by someone who qualifies on his side? I know he isn't on the BC, so likely no contact, but am clutching at straws...

Also, your parents friends if they have known the kids for the qualifying time ? Or other family members partners (or friends) that may know them. You may not know that person that well (and you may have already rules out...) but if your child has say spent time at Grandparents and have hung out with their friends, that might be a link?

Its not easy!!!

That’s good to know.

Schools won't usually do it. I think GPs do but charge a fee.

But you don’t have any friends left from school? Anyone you kept in contact with and knows your kids?

You won’t approach any parent at the school gate, message them on Facebook (just look for some of them), you won’t get your kid to text their mates and ask. Why not?

You won’t ask any neighbours, just go and chap the door! Or any neighbours of your parents or family friends of your parents. Anyone.

There are about 100 people who could do this for you at your kids school, you just won’t go and ask them.

Methinks the OP’s children are not entitled to a passport and she (or whoever) is looking for a way around it.

What is the literal point of your post then?! It doesn't make sense!

Nobody else has been in that position because everyone knows someone!

And to really add insult to injury that glass of champagne? It’s half empty.

And all they'll be able to do is give you the same advice you've had here. You can't get a passport without a countersignature, they don't get one of the staff there to do you a favour. But by all means go down that route if it confirms to you that you need to know people to do this, and you probably do know someone who can sign anyway. Sometimes these messages land better when they come from the horse's mouth.

You don't have any friends? Your children don't have any friends or do any clubs? You don't have any regular appointments e.g. hairdressers? You've never had a job?

There's really not a single person you've known for 2 years?

The reason people are offering suggestions is because there isn't a way round. You need to find someone. If you don't find someone you will have to meet someone now and wait 2 years

Well how do you know you can't get a single good idea that you haven't had?! Are you really that clever that you have 100% certainty you have no other options.

As for your claim that you understand who can sign... as many have said, the list is bollocks. So.if you rely on that list you may struggle.

Try asking the teacher directly. The school might say no but the teacher might do it as a favour. I have.

Or did your children go to nursery or a child minders? Might they do it?

It can be hard to find someone, I do understand that. I’m a teacher so know lots of teachers who could do it, but before I qualified I’d struggle to find someone. Yes my hairdresser or the local cafe owner knows me, but they don’t actually know for sure who I am. These threads come up a lot and I’m bemused by the people who don’t understand that not everyone has solicitors and doctors in their social circle.

It's been six years since I retired as a teacher (Scotland) but before that we were told under no circumstances were we allowed to counter sign passports for pupils.

I’ve done this recently. I asked a friend who was a teacher but not our teacher. The passport office rang me up and interrogated me about how I knew her and how long etc. would she recognise my child by photo.

Then they rang her and interrogated her. It put me off offering to sign for anyone actually. It’s much tighter now than a few years back.

I can well see the OP doesn’t have anyone to ask. But in this case you can’t get a passport. It’s unfair but that’s the way it works. It isn’t inclusive at all.

There’s no one at all.

Me neither it was an odd suggestion from the other poster. But I knew there would be a reason why it wasn’t an option for you.

Do you work? You do realise that lots of people sign for kids they haven’t really known for two years don’t you? A mate at work could do it. The vet could do it. Football coach. Lollipop lady.

GP or health visitor? Someone who can confirm the children's identity.

Is there a reason you don't want people to get too close or have access to identifying documentation OP? If it is something like witness protection then would the local police station be able to provide the passport office with some sort of evidence?

If it isn't something like this, then you are being very peculiar and obtuse when people are offering very sensible suggestions.

Just use the post office for a couple of weeks.
Make an online shop return via the post office or pay some bills via the PO desk. How were you going to pay for this passport? Postal order? Bank card?

If you don’t have a bank account (bank is one of the listed professions) then you must deal with the post office in some way to handle cash.

Take your kids along with you. And then after a couple of weeks ask them to sign your passports. Take some bills with you with your name and address on.

OP, I think people keep making suggesting because it just seems impossible. I don’t want to ask on your circumstances, but do your best to get a bit more into community - I know for some it’s not easy, but it’s important. Being a lone parent is hard.

It’s just a bit mind-boggling that you would go all the way to the passport office, queue up, and even then quite likely be told that you have to go any find a signatory. Rather than - take 2 mins to knock on a neighbour’s door or ask a friendly looking parent at the school gate.

Do your children actually have friends?

If they have friends then those friends have parents. Get your children to text their friends and ask. You say you don’t have any of their numbers yourself so your kids must be at the age of contacting their friends directly with their own phones.

Do you have any neighbours? Have you gone round and chapped their doors?

Yes, lots of people struggle to find someone as they believe the person must have a specific job on the list which is not true. Your kids have been at that school for over two years so you must have lived in that area for at least two years which means there will be neighbours or ex neighbours that can do it or a school parent. Yes it might feel awkward asking but that’s your choice! Can’t believe your kids have no friends.

You can only call the helpline and see what they suggest. I know it's a faff and it can be difficult to find someone. That said, I suspect the answer to your question of what other people do in this situation is that they find someone, or they don't do it. I think people are getting a bit frustrated and obviously frustrating you too because it's hard to believe that there is literally no acquaintance who would do this for someone, but you know your own life best. (Sometimes though it's how you ask - e.g. you say the school don't but that's just their official line, I'd be schmoozing the office lady at a quiet time and giving her the sob story, or a ta who has seen you around for years, or other parents, etc before giving up). I do hope there is some kind of alternative in-person provision though the passport office can suggest. Good luck!

But you haven't even tried to ask anyone single other parent at your children's school. So there is not anyone, you just can't be arsed trying to talk to a few people to find out. If you've never spoken to any of the parents there's no way you know all their jobs and that they aren't acceptable

OP we had a relative in the same situation as you are in.

They contacted the passport office who were able to sort it for the.

They were told that it is a pretty common situation.

I know it’s scraping the barrel, but since you have kids have you thought of asking Father Christmas, or the Tooth Fairy, or theEaster Bunny?